CCAC Coach of the Year Tonishea Mack
“I wouldn’t be successful without my team”
By Laura Pohl, Contributing Writer
Highly celebrated Women's Basketball Coach Tonishea Mack can’t choose the highpoint of the 2023-24 women’s basketball season because the entire season was “a moment.”
Yes, the Governors State University (GovState) team won 23 games. Yes, Mack was honored with Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Coach of the Year and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year. And yes, the team made the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship Tournament.
What made the season memorable and successful was “the grind,” Mack said, meaning the day-in, day-out effort by her team. “It was the players who had faith in the program, their consistency and our recruiting,” she said. “It was getting the culture to be where we needed it to be.”
She also credits the contributions of Darren Green, her assistant coach, and David Snedden, strength and conditioning coach.
GovState has always been competitive in women’s basketball, Mack explained, but this year the team “bought into the same goals.” They wanted to put the program in the best position to not only compete--but win. “This group wanted to reach 20 wins,” she said. “And when they did, they said, ‘let’s do one more.’ They set a new standard.”
Across the country, women’s basketball is experiencing a surge in interest after the recent National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament and WNBA draft. The growing popularity of women’s basketball is a great recognition of the sport, Mack noted. “It’s an amazing time,” she said. “It brings a brighter spotlight to our sport--to uplift and encourage each other. But the beneficiaries will be female athletes in all sports. Young kids have new role models. Like (Las Vegas Aces) A’ja Wilson says, ‘If I see her I can be her.’
“Will this newfound popularity impact Governors State? We’re seeing women’s sports reaching a market they haven’t reached before, and that’s good for all women in all sports.”
In her sixth season, Mack’s program benefited from the culture and motivation instilled by her first class of recruits. The 2023-24 Jaguars included three graduate students playing in their fifth season: Angelique Cowan, Tabetha Jones, and Trinity Sims and two seniors, Gaetana Davis and Ce'niyah Hampton. Jones and Cowan, along with Zareia Chevre, were named to the CCAC All-Conference team. And the team’s academic performance was honored with Cowan, Sims, Jones, Jennifer Tomasic and Louisa Schmidt earning 2024 NAIA National Scholar-Athlete recognition.
Importantly, the team also experienced a special camaraderie. “We enjoyed being around each other and making each other better,” said Mack. “We were locked in on the same goals. They wanted to win more than they wanted to lose and they wanted to be in practice rather than anyplace else. And we put fear in other teams when we came to play--it was a different mentality (than from past years).”
Since the season ended, area players have been reaching out to express interest in the program. In addition, Mack’s reputation dates back to her career playing at Rich East High School, where she graduated as the school's all-time leading scorer. Mack later played three years of Division I basketball at Grambling State from 2009-12. She was a two-year captain and named to the Southwestern Athletic Conference All-Academic Team.
Mack earned the CCAC coaching honor despite the team placing second in the conference. It was recognition and respect for the effort in recruiting and building the program, she acknowledged. “The CCAC award is a great accolade,” she said. “But like I told the team, I wouldn’t be coach of the year without my players. They bought into my vision and standards, and I appreciate them making me look good!”
Watch Coach Mack’s recent discussion about her winning season on TWAG here.